My New Family

Chapter Twenty-One: Our Welcome

      Stepmother stands there for about two minutes, then screams and runs forward to Father. She catches him in a giant bear hug. I can see that it's even worse than Mrs. Lory's! Soon, everyone is crowding 'round the stairs, screaming and yelling from delight. Then, we spot movement on the path. "Everyone inside now, quick." Father says, and we all crowd inside. Pauline peeks out the window for a second, and I can see from her face that she's terribly frightened. Then I peep out, and I see why. There's about ten German soldiers coming up to the front door! Soon there is a loud knock, and Father, who has washed up and changed his clothes, opens the door. "What do you want?" he asks. The Germans don't answer; they just crowd past and start ordering us to stand against the wall. The leader says something in their stupid German language, and two soldiers break apart from the rest with their guns and just stand there, watching us as the rest go down to the cellar. "Your floor is very slippery," one says, and I suddenly recognize François DePainne. But Stepfather doesn't notice. When the last soldier disappears down the cellar stairs, he suddenly reaches out and grabs the other soldier's gun. I can tell he's wishing Pierre could be here for the other one, because he had sense and Joseph still doesn't, but he needn't have worries. François takes the other soldier by the shoulders and runs down to the cellar with him. Stepfather closes the door quickly, saying, "They've gone to raise the alarm. Now everyone starts pushing furniture up to the door to prevent them getting out. Then, we block off all the ground floor doors so no one else can get in, and the Sisters help us prepare a party in the kitchen for Father. Everyone is so happy! It's like the war doesn't even exist anymore. The only thing that brings it back to mind is the banging on the cellar door. Father goes down there to tell them to be quiet, and then we put the finishing touchés to the party and wait quietly for him to come back up. When he does, the celebration begins!